Gold trade-in
On the 25th of May, I traded in one gold key for another. My original key was the brass key, which appeared gold when I cleaned it, to my dorm room; I didn’t realize until I handed it over how much that key meant to me. Even though the key had not remained the same over the years, (I had to exchange it for another key when the locks were replaced) its meaning was always the same to me; it represented my residence in a dorm, a place where I was surrounded by friends and could always have a conversation or find something to do. Even during the summers, when I had to turn in my key, I knew I’d get another one as soon as I arrived again in the fall, that I only had to put up with the loneliness of the break for a few months. This time, though, I turned in the key for the last time. Never again will I live just a few minutes from so many friends, never again will I make nightly trips to the on-campus convenience store to pick up soda and snacks, and never again will I be able to have inane philosophical discussions at 1 AM.
The same day, I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honor’s society in the United States. A key with various symbols engraved on it is PBK’s symbol, representing principles embodied by its members, one of which is the life-long pursuit of knowledge, especially in the liberal arts. This key doesn’t open any literal doors, but membership in PBK, represented by the key, has the potential to open many metaphorical doors. Since I’m a computer science student, I have a feeling that I may have made a mistake becoming a member. Though I haven’t actually received a key, I was given an order form that I may use to obtain one made with gold. One question stands out in my mind: how will my new golden key compare to my old?